Epeisodion 1
Hermione
With a crown of golden workmanship upon my head and about my body this embroidered robe am I come hither; no presents these I wear from the palace of Achilles or Peleus,
but gifts my father Menelaus gave me together with a sumptuous dower from Sparta in Laconia, to insure me freedom of speech. Such is my answer to youi.e. the Chorus.;
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but as for thee, slave and captive, thou wouldst fain oust me and secure this palace for thyself, and thanks to thy enchantment I am hated by my husband; thou it is that hast made my womb barren and cheated my hopes; for Asia’s daughters have clever heads for such villainy;
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yet will I check thee therefrom, nor shall this temple of the Nereid avail thee aught, no! neither its altar or shrine, but thou shalt die. But if or god or man should haply wish to save thee, thou must atone for thy proud thoughts of happier days now past
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by humbling thyself and crouching prostrate at my knees, by sweeping out my halls, and by learning, as thou sprinklest water from a golden ewer, where thou now art. Here is no Hector, no Priam with his gold, but a city of Hellas.
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Yet thou, miserable woman, hast gone so far in wantonness that thou canst lay thee down with the son of the very man that slew thy husband, and bear children to the murderer. Such is all the race of barbarians; father and daughter, mother and son,
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sister and brother mate together; the nearest and dearest stain their path with each others blood, and no law restrains such horrors. Bring not these crimes amongst us, for here we count it shame that one man should have the control of two wives, and men are content to turn their attention to one lawful love,
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that is, all who care to live an honourable life.
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Chorus
Women are by natureNauck, on the authority of Stobaeus, reads θηλείας φρενός for θηλειῶν ἔφυ. somewhat jealous, and do ever show the keenest hate to rivals in their love.
Andromache
Ah! well-a-day! Youth is a bane to mortals,
in every case, that is, where a man embraces injustice in his early days. Now I am afraid that my being a slave will prevent thee listening to me in spite of many a just plea, or if I win my case, I fear I may be damaged on this very ground, for the high and mighty cannot brook refuting arguments
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from their inferiors; still I will not be convicted of betraying my own cause. Tell me, proud young wife, what assurance can make me confident of wresting from thee thy lawful lord? Is it that Laconias capital yields to Phrygia?
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is it that my fortune outstrips thine? or that in me thou seest a free woman? Am I so elated by my youth, my full healthy figure, the extent of my city, the number of my friends that I wish to supplant thee in thy home? Is my purpose to take thy place and rear myself a race
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of slaves, mere appendages to my misery? or, supposing thou bear no children, will any one endure that sons of mine should rule oer Phthia? Ah no! there is the love that Hellas bears me, both for Hectors sake and for my own humble rank forsooth, that never knew a queens estate in Troy.
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’Tis not my sorcery that makes thy husband hate thee, nay, but thy own failure to prove thyself his help-meet.This line is regarded by Nauck as an interpolation. Herein lies love’s only charm tis not beauty, lady, but virtuous acts that win our husbands’ hearts. And though it gall thee to be told so, albeit thy city in Laconia
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is no doubt a mighty fact, yet thou findest no place for his Scyros, displaying wealth ’midst poverty and setting Menelaus above Achilles: and that is what alienates thy lord. Take heed; for a woman, though bestowed upon a worthless husband, must be with him content, and ne’er advance presumptuous claims.
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Suppose thou hadst wedded a prince of Thrace, the land of flood and melting snow, where one lord shares his affections with a host of wives, wouldst thou have slain them? If so, thou wouldst have set a stigma of insatiate lust on all our sex.
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A shameful charge! And yet herein we suffer more than men, though we make a good stand against it. Ah! my dear lord Hector, for thy sake would I e’en brook a rival, if ever Cypris led thee astray, and oft in days gone by I held thy bastard babes to my own breast,
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to spare thee any cause for grief. By this course I bound my husband to me by virtue’s chains, whereas thou wilt never so much as let the drops of dew from heaven above settle on thy lord, in thy jealous fear.i.e. she is so suspicious that he can scarcely come and go as he pleases, at early morn.
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Oh! seek not to surpass thy mother in hankering after men, for ’tis well that all wise children should avoid the habits of such evil mothers.
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Chorus
Mistress mine, be persuaded to come to terms with her, as far as readily comes within thy power.
Hermione
Why this haughty tone, this bandying of words, as if, forsooth, thou, not I, wert the virtuous wife?
Andromache
Thy present claims at any rate give thee small title thereto.
Hermione
Woman, may my bosom never harbour such ideas as thine!
Andromache
Thou art young to speak on so delicate a subject.
Hermione
As for thee, thou dost not speak thereof but, as thou canst, dost put it into action against me.
Andromache
Canst thou not conceal thy pangs of jealousy?
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Hermione
What! doth not every woman put this first of all?
Andromache
Yes, if her experiences are happy; otherwise, there is no honour in speaking of them.
Hermione
Barbarians’ laws are not a standard for our city.
Andromache
Alike in Asia and in Hellas infamy attends base actions.
Hermione
Clever, clever quibbler! yet die thou must and shalt.
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Andromache
Dost see the image of Thetis with her eye upon thee?
Hermione
A bitter foe to thy country because of the death of Achilles.
Andromache
’Twas not I that slew him, but Helen that mother of thine.
Hermione
Pray, is it thy intention to probe my wounds yet deeper?
Andromache
Behold, I am dumb, my lips are closed.
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Hermione
Tell me that which was my only reason for coming hither.
Andromache
No! all I tell thee is, thou hast less wisdom than thou needest.
Hermione
Wilt thou leave these hallowed precincts of the sea-goddess?
Andromache
Yes, if I am not to die for it; otherwise, I never will.
Hermione
Since that is thy resolve, I shall not even wait my lord’s return.
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Andromache
Nor yet will I, at any rate ere that, surrender to thee.
Hermione
I will bring fire to bear on thee, and pay no heed to thy entreaties.
Andromache
Kindle thy blaze then; the gods will witness it.
Hermione
And make thy flesh to writhe by cruel wounds.
Andromache
Begin thy butchery, stain the altar of the goddess with blood, for she will visit thy iniquity.
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Hermione
Barbarian creature, hardened in impudence, wilt thou brave death itself? Still will I find speedy means to make thee quit this seat of thy free-will; such a bait have I to lure thee with. But I will hide my meaning,
which the event itself shall soon declare. Yes, keep thy seat, for I will make thee rise, though molten lead is holding thee there, before Achilles’ son, thy trusted champion, arrive. Exit Hermione.
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Andromache
My trusted champion, yes! how strange it is, that, though some god hath devised cures for mortals against the venom of reptiles, no man ever yet hath discovered aught to cure a woman’s venom, which is far worse than viper’s sting or scorching flame; so terrible a curse are we to mankind.